ANDERSON’S QUAY

Business in the Heart of Cork City

The Anderson’s Quay project is located in the very heart of Cork city centre, on the waterfront. It will deliver over 14,000m2 (150,000 ft2) of 4th Generation office accommodation which has been designed with flexibility in mind to suit modern occupier demand.

The design of Anderson’s Quay is focused on achieving large open plan floor plates (over 25,000 ft2 per floor), making the five storey building suitable to host high density or bespoke facilities for:

customer care services

information and communication technologies

financial, legal and miscellaneous back office services

ICT research and development laboratories

The building elevations are extensively glazed to maximise natural daylight and optimise views of the River Lee, Cork Harbour and extensive city landscapes

LOCATION

Architectural Statement

The Anderson’s Quay project is on the South bank of the Northern channel of the River Lee, immediately East of the Clontarf Bridge and the City Bus Station on the City Centre ‘Island’. The site is in the area identified as a ‘Transitional Area’ between the North and South Docks and the City Centre, and the Southern adjacent sites have undergone major redevelopment in recent years.

The large ’Esplanade’ to the front of the Bus Station, the scale of the river and the position of the Clontarf Bridge create the opportunity for a landmark building marking both the gateway to the City Centre and the conceptual beginning of the South Docklands Transformation. The natural curved shape of the site at the corner and the local dynamic create an immediate sense of form to the building which should occupy the space. However a mere extrusion of the boundary shape upwards would not do justice to the importance of the site’s location. Therefore a clearer geometric form wholly within the boundary has the dual effect of allowing a more emphatic and visually interesting form to be expressed. Thus improving the scale and character of the public realm, immediately fronting the site.

Not only does the proposed building on this site respond to current configuration of the surroundings but it anticipates the aspirations of Cork City to grow in stature competing internationally with other world cities. The building on this site projects an image of confidence and modernity, its scale giving it a landmark character implying an in-built public significance as a building and location. The building is generally 5 storeys with a 6th storey set back serving to terminate the building in the vertical. The entrance is via a tall public reception area off Clontarf Street which gives access to all floor levels. Each level contains large office floor plates capable of being fitted out to suit a variety of office based uses from call centre to research type facilities.The glazed facades afford stunning views of the northern escarpment of the river Lee.

The external elevation treatment is of a mainly glazed facade to the surrounding streets. Articulation of the overall form is achieved by varying the arrangement of the curtain walling glazing bars, and by the use of contrasting glass which will emphasise the curvilinear form of this landmark site. The use of low E glazing will provide comfortable and light filled work spaces with panoramic vistas of the river and the surrounding cityscape. The quality of the architectural response to the context, the visual expression of the exterior and the light and views from the interior spaces provides a setting of international standard capable of attracting the best talent for the best tenants in a global market.